An electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic method, and a method of detecting release of a development nip. An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method supplies toner on an electrostatic latent image formed in a photoconductor to form a visible toner image on the photoconductor, transfers the toner image onto a recording medium, and prints an image on the recording medium by fixing the transferred toner image on the recording medium.